Pure Art
by Celestriakle
Summary: A brother struggles to spend time with his sibling without incestuous feelings getting in the way.
1. A Golden Afternoon

(Lucent and Nitrine are both sons of Reala and Nii, a clone of NiGHTS who chose to remain loyal. Lucent is loyal and resides in Nightmare; Nitrine is a rebel hiding in the human world.

Lucent: celestriakle. deviantart .com/art/Lucent-189966846

Nitrine: i156. photobucket .com/albums/t4/Oseala/For%20This%

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"Nngh... Ah!" 

At last, the lid of the last paint can gave way under Nitrine's efforts. "Phew, that was a tough one..." Setting the screwdriver aside, he stood and looked around at the three blank canvases around him. Tarp coated the floor, and cans of paint in more colors than his hair dye lay atop them. No brushes were present, but he needed none: Deciding on a color, he knelt down and dipped the flats of his hands into the midnight blue paint, then pressed them onto the canvas furthest to the right. The tip of his tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth as his thoughts streamlined and he relinquished himself as a puppet for the Muses' wishes. He slowly dragged his hands down the canvas, but before he could slip too far into r-mode, a disturbance in the force caused him to whirl around as the door opened. A single glimpse of that unruly blond hair, and he knew. Launching himself at his brother, he joyfully cried, "Lucent~!" 

Lucent had no time to react; he grunted and stumbled back a step as Nitrine's full weight fell upon him, arms encircling him. It took him a moment to recover, but when he did, he returned the hug heartily, laughing a bit. "It's good to see you too." 

Nitrine giggled as he fell back onto his own two feet. "What brings you into—wait." His eyes widened a moment, focus gone. His gaze shot to where his hand rested against Lucent's arm, and he squeaked, pulling it back like an injured animal. Nevertheless, it was too late; the evidence was there: a blue smudge against the white cloth. Standing on his toes, he peered over Lucent's shoulder, who was looking at the stain on his sleeve, and squeaked again. Undeniably, two blue handprints decorated the back of his brother. Rocking back into his heels, he pleaded for forgiveness. "OhmygoshLucentI'msosososososorry! Can you forgive me? Here, let's get you cleaned up." He grabbed onto Lucent's arm to pull him inside, then recoiled in horror. Flailing his hands, he choked on his words, unable to form anything that even resembled a coherent sentence. 

Lucent put his hands on Nitrine's shoulders. "Calm down. Take a deep breath." Nitrine met Lucent's steady gaze, inhaled deeply, and exhaled. 

"But what about—" Lucent put a finger over Nitrine's mouth. 

"No. Worry doesn't suit you." He smiled. "I've gotten tougher things out of my clothes than some paint stains." Hesitantly, Nitrine smiled, then stepped back to let Lucent in. 

"You sure?" 

He nodded and stepped inside, looking around, gaze lingering on the just-begun painting. "Fingerpainting? Can I join you?" 

Nitrine blinked, a little surprised, but nodded, gesturing to the paints scattered around. "Help yourself." Lucent nodded his thanks and swept his gaze over the paints, making a decision and dipping his claws in a can of black paint as he stepped to the leftmost canvas. 

Nitrine lingered a few moments, but the conversation seemed to have died. A bit hesitantly, Nitrine returned to his canvas and moved to apply the next stroke, but faltered, his previous inspiration gone. "Mm..." With a slight frown, he turned back to watch Lucent, who seemed to have a clear picture in his mind. One hand in black paint, one in red, every motion intentional, Nitrine began to see less the art being brought into creation and more of the sweeping movements that crafted it. Suddenly, inspiration struck. Rinsing his hands, he dipped his fingers in a few new paints and began again. Those handprints on Lucent's back... They looked like wings. 

Both boys fell into r-mode; the silence went unbroken for hours. Squares of golden light fell in through the windows as Nitrine putting finishing touches upon his painting. "Lucent... Did you have a reason for visiting? I never did get to ask." 

Lucent, unbeknownst to Nitrine, froze. A drop of paint fell from his claw to the floor. "I... was feeling lonely, and wanted some company." He kept his voice carefully neutral. 

Nitrine's eyes widened momentarily, surprised, as he stepped back to get a better view of his work. "So you visited me? But... You can visit anyone. They don't have any problem with you." _Unlike me._ The phrase hung unspoken between them. 

Lucent laughed, a bit harshly. "True enough, but... well..." His hand dropped to his side, and his voice quieted to a barely comprehensible murmur. "No one makes me feel like you do, Nitrine." 

Nitrine's breath caught in his chest, his hands rising to the same level, and he whirled around. "Wh-_What did you say?_" 

Lucent turned too, holding up his hands. "No no no! It's not like that!" He fumbled awkwardly for words and gestured as he slowly stepped towards Nitrine. "It's just... When I'm with you... I don't have to worry. I can relax. You're always so happy and cheery and affectionate; I know you don't have any hidden motives. You're just so... pure, and open." He reached out, hesitated, and gently pulled Nitrine into his arms. "You're my favorite person." 

In such close quarters, Nitrine could feel his brother's heart thumping against his own. "Ah..." He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, thinking better. "...Lucent..." The other maren stiffened; Nitrine saw how nervous he was. Pressing his cheek to the other's shoulder, he embraced him, smiling serenely. "Don't worry so much. I'll always be there for you." 

Lucent looked at him, disbelieving a moment, then smiled and laughed, full of nothing but relief. He looked back at Nitrine, then laughed again, picking up the other maren and spinning him around. He set him down and nuzzled his forehead to the other's, a contagious grin plastered on his face. "I love you~" 

Nitrine giggled and hugged Lucent one last time, his heart warmed at the sight of his usually reserved brother so expressively happy. "I'm happy you came~" 

He nodded his agreement, and added, "I'm about done with my painting... Do you want to do the last one together?" 

"I'd love to~" 

Lucent moved to step away, but stopped, looking down at his claws then at Nitrine. "I got paint all over you." 

Grinning cheerily, Nitrine waved it off as he turned to pick out a new color. "You're not the only one who knows how to get paint stains out of clothes~" 

Lucent just chuckled as he rinsed his claws and picked out some new colors himself. Together, they created something new between the bleeding heart and the golden-haired angel lost in the dark.


	2. In the Depths of Dusk

(Shirona is Nitrine's landlady.

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With a clatter, Shirona dropped the last of the dinner's dishes into the sink. "Phew... I think that's about all of them."

"Thanks so much for making us dinner Shirona." Nitrine smiled gratefully as he stepped towards the sink to start cleaning, and Lucent, who leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen, nodded his agreement.

"Oh, it was my pleasure... Especially when I have you two to clean up after me." With a brief wave over her shoulder, she walked away, retreating to her bedroom.

"Nice, isn't she?" commented Nitrine as he turned on the water and grabbed for the sponge.

Lucent nodded, watching his brother's movements, but as Nitrine reached for the first dish, he got up, striding over and grabbing onto his forearms to stop him. "Wait."

Confused, Nitrine looked up, but before he could ask, his gaze was drawn back down to a sensation on his arms: Gingerly, Lucent was pulling back the sleeves of his hoodie up to his elbow. As an artist familiar with precision, he had always admired the way Lucent managed to hurt no one despite the deadly sharpness of his claws.

"You were going to get them all wet..." he explained as he stepped away.

"Oh, thanks." Nitrine smiled at his brother, then turned and began on the dishes.

"I'll be right back," Lucent announced, then briskly turned and walked towards the bathroom, unaware of Nitrine's eyes watching him go.

Hiding himself safely behind a locked door, Lucent strode towards the mirror, turning on the cold water and letting it run. Putting his hands on the counter, he closed his eyes tight; he clenched his fists. He whimpered, then sighed. "It's useless..." The mumbled words fell from his lips as he gathered water in his cupped hands and splashed it on his face. Unwarranted and unwanted, a series of snapshots from the memory of his arrival rose to the forefront of his mind: the crush of Nitrine's body against his own; the gentle touches as their legs and thighs brushed; the intoxicating, oh-so familiar scent of hues and hair dye. The thoughts incited a pulse of warmth that converged upon his already inflamed nether regions, and, flinching, he stopped the tangent line right there. He couldn't indulge his sick fantasies, not now. Slowly, he rubbed his face, then sighed as his hands dropped and he tugged on his shirtfront.

Keeping his mind busy with Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" on loop, he left the restroom and stopped in the kitchen, where Nitrine had nearly finished cleaning. "It's getting kind of late; I think I'm going to go. See you later, Nitrine." Not waiting for a reply, he walked to the door, and just as he poised his hand above the doorknob, he froze.

"Lucent, wait!"

"Yes?"

"You didn't give me a chance to say goodbye." Nitrine pulled him around and gave him a big hug. Lucent hesitated, a blush rising to his cheeks, and he carefully returned the hug just as Nitrine realized something was off and pulled away. He looked Lucent up and down, noting his furious blush and averted gaze, and pulled up his brother's shirtfront. Lucent squirmed a bit, being examined for several seconds far too long, before his shirt was released and he could step back, closer to the door. By now, his makeup couldn't even be found amid his blush. Nitrine's voice was eerily unemotional as he said, "I thought it wasn't like that."

Lucent looked down, met Nitrine's gaze for a few moments, and feeling obliged to reply, answered quietly, "Obviously, I lied." This time when he turned around, he opened the door and managed to take one step outside before the hand grasping his stopped him again.

"Wait."

"Please Nitrine, let me go."

"It's me you want, isn't it?"

His throat tightened, and he swallowed then nodded.

"Then..." His voice dropped to a bare whisper. "Take me."

Lucent's eyes widened in surprise and he whirled around. It took him a moment, but he managed to choke out, "A... Are you sure?"

Nitrine nodded, and gently pressed himself to the other maren's side. "You make me feel good too, Lucent."

He needed no more discussion; he wrapped his arm around Nitrine and led them back to Nitrine's apartment. Releasing his host, he faltered, locking the door and watching him remove his shoes, but an expectant look from his partner spurred him back into action. Carefully, he took off his gloves then slipped off his boots and, in the end, beat Nitrine to the bed, plopping down just a moment before.

Nitrine sat down, and Lucent's hands were immediately upon him. They pulled him in, so close he could feel the warmth of Lucent's breath, and felt him all over, across his skin, under his clothes, always gentle, always careful. It was so easy, so natural, nothing like the rough awkwardness of his past experiences. He smiled, starting to fall into the touches, and heard Lucent whisper in awe, "This feels so surreal..."

"It does." The hands stopped, and he glanced up just as Lucent's lips met his. The kiss was a little more revealing, a little rougher, colored with desire. Slowly, Lucent broke it, and, holding Nitrine's gaze, carefully slipped his hoodie up off over his head and dropped it over the side of the bed. With that one action, the surreality disappeared, and Nitrine's hands shook a bit as he unwrapped Lucent's scarf and carefully removed his shirt. His nerve began to fade, but then his gaze jolted up as Lucent steadied Nitrine's hands in his own.

"I'll be gentle, I promise."

THEN HE TOOK OFF NITRINE'S BRA.

Nitrine sat up in bed with a start, breathing hard, his hand clutching his chest. With a deep feeling of dread, he looked to the place in bed beside him and saw... no one. Breathing a sigh of relief, he fell back, arms flopping beside him. To emphasize the importance of fearlessness, Wizeman allowed the nightmaren to dream; if they feared, it was a vulnerability, a weakness to be exterminated, and more than a few of Nightmare's denizens took advantage of that, at their own risk. Nitrine sighed, getting comfortable again, and wondered who had designed that twisted dream of his. He certainly didn't feel that way about his brother, and there was no way Lucent felt that way about him, but most importantly, he did not wear a bra!


	3. Under the Cold Light of the Moon

(Read and review, please.)

"Nn~" Nitrine's face snuggled into his brother's clothes in a good bye hug, and suddenly Lucent could take it no longer. He moved swiftly; taking hold of Nitrine's shoulders, he pulled him back a bit and pressed his lips to the other's, pulling his brother into a kiss. For a moment, it was beautiful. It was everything he had dreamed it would be. Soft, delicious—but then there were hands on his chest and the kiss violently broke as he stumbled back, shoved away. Slowly, anxiously, he raised his vulnerable face to meet Nitrine's stunned gaze.

"What was THAT?"

"Ah... eh..." Lucent choked out a few syllables before looking down again, trying to get a grip on himself. Anxiously, his hands raised to his chest, and his fingerknives clicked together in a nervous tick during the moments of silence that ensued. Finally, without looking up, he began to speak. "N-N-N... Nitrine... I-I... I l-love you..." His gaze flicked up as he specified, "M-more than a brother. I have f-for a l-long time..." His focus dropped back down to the ground and his hands shifted to clutch his upper arms, as if to hold himself together. He was terrified. Those few phrases were incredibly difficult to get out. But at the same time, he could feel a weight lift from his heart. They had been sitting there, unspoken, for far too long.

Silence. Cautiously, slowly, Lucent looked up, only to see that Nitrine's expression had changed from one of shock to one of disgust. His heart sank.

"You're serious. You LOVE me. You really want me like that? That is just... Ugh." Turning, Nitrine paced back and forth a few steps.

"I... I'm not asking for that though. All I wanted was a kiss," he answered weakly, and shuddered, his gaze dropping back down at Nitrine's cold glare.

"But you do want that. You're one sick fuck, Lucent. This is sick. That love you have for me is sick." His voice quivered, taking on a slightly more horrified tone. Lucent took a small amount of comfort in the fact Nitrine wasn't quite as insensitive as his first words made it appear. "How did this happen? When we were kids, it was fine... How long has it been?" The command was sharp, sudden. It demanded an immediate answer. "When did this all start?"

"I... I don't know." Lucent shrugged. "This wasn't an easy thing for me to come to terms with. I was in denial about it for some time."

Nitrine shook his head, pacing some more, then suddenly stopped, stomping his foot down and looking his brother in the eye, even if his gaze refused to be met. "No. I'm sorry Lucent, but I want no part of this. It's just too fucked up. Something happened to you. You were once my brother, but now..." He shook his head. "You're little better than Dad. Go." Walking over, he corralled Lucent towards the door. "Come on, go!" He pulled the door to a mere crack, then dealt the final blow. "I never want to see or speak to you ever again, got it?" The door slammed shut.

…

Lucent gasped, waking suddenly, looking around him wildly. He lay atop a pillar in his sanctum; he had fallen asleep... Scenes from the dream flashed painfully through his head, and he let out a strangled cry of pain, curling up on himself, clenching his teeth, and allowing a few tears to flow freely down his face. He had to keep reminding himself: _It was only a nightmare, it was only a nightmare... _What cruel irony.


	4. February 26, 2011

(Lucent does live research upon Visitors and their ideya. It's a bloody business.

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_ Father stopped by yesterday; upon request, I wove him some cloth. I haven't seen him sow since... Well. It's been a long time. I wonder what he's planning on doing with it._

A pause, a new paragraph. 

_I_

Another pause. 

_miss Him. I worry. His stay with me ended; it was such a wonderful time, having him around. I can still smell him on my sheets. It makes me so afraid, sometimes. I know he doesn't feel the same; even now, I think he scarcely knows that I feel the way I do. No surprise at that; it's a twisted emotion, I know. But... I think I'm finally coming to accept it. All I want is to be close to him, and for him to want to be close to me. Anything more is euphoria. I'm such a fool for that boy._

A short laugh. 

_He is so clueless._

Smiles fade. 

_He stumbled upon my research. I know he didn't approve; it wasn't a coincidence he left that day. He doesn't seem to have been too badly affected, from what my sources say, but I haven't seen him in person since it happened._

A pause. 

_I worry._

Inhale, exhale. New paragraph. 

Minutes passed.

The pen hovered above the paper, and Lucent sighed. As he shut the book and set it aside, he looked up. Someone had arrived. Tucking his diary back into its hiding place, he flew out to greet his guest. He smiled. 

"Mica!" 

The only friend he had in all of Nightmare. Who else would it be?


End file.
